


New Bonds, New Truths

by nohrimormon



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Engagement, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, kannao - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26075980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nohrimormon/pseuds/nohrimormon
Summary: Kanji has been running his shop since his mother passed, and Naoto has been living with him there. He remembers some events between them, and comes to a conclusion.Fluffy little fic for fun. They're older and out of high school here.Kannao gives me life.
Relationships: Shirogane Naoto & Tatsumi Kanji, Shirogane Naoto/Tatsumi Kanji
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	1. Kanji's Thoughts

Kanji looked out from his seat at the back of his textile shop, watching as various customers perused his wares. 

He gave them polite small talk when appropriate, but he remained largely aloof. He stared ahead, his leg was popping up and down in a nervous habit as he wrestled with his thoughts. He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t have the strength to ask. 

He had been living above Tatsumi Textiles his whole life, but when Naoto had moved in, everything changed. They had been dating for a few years now, and she decided she wanted to move in with him rather than the other way around. 

_She was wearing a navy button-down and gray slacks. She took my hand in hers, it was small and warm, and her nails were a shimmery blue from going to a salon with Rise a few days before. She looked straight through my eyes and into my soul. “Grandfather has Yakushiji-san” she had said, “I want to be here for you.” She squeezed my hand. I could only nod, the knot in my throat wasn’t gonna budge._

Kanji’s breath hitched as he remembered the way she said that last part. 

She stood her ground, and she wasn’t gonna take no for an answer. She had such a fierce determination that made others bend to her will.

That was the little kickass detective he adored so much.

She was fully moved in by the end of that week. 

Kanji knew no one else could enter his life like Naoto did. She helped him to be a better man, in more ways than one.

She stayed right by him when his mother passed over a year ago. She was always a mostly healthy old woman, but she was never the same after that foggy December. There was a while that Kanji wished ‘all that persona shit’ hadn’t happened to Inaba since it led to losing the most important woman in his life. 

_“Kanji.” She had her hands on her hips, her navy hair was messier than normal. She was wearing one of my old shirts. Her breath still carried the scent of her morning coffee. “That is not your true feelings. You’re just upset at the present circumstances.” She was absolutely right, as usual. If I hadn’t gotten roped into the Investigation team, I would still be a punk little shit and never made friends like Narukami and Rise and… Naoto. She could tell me what I needed to hear and give it to me straight. And I did the same for her. She suddenly pressed herself onto me in a hug. Her voice cracked out, “I know what you’re going through.” I couldn’t help but choke up too, holding her tightly._

He was sad his mom was gone, sure, but he had many reasons to be happy.

Every morning he would tell Naoto good morning, and she would likely hide under the covers or or a pillow and give a groan in reply.

He would put on some coffee for her and start readying the shop to open.

Once Naoto had some coffee in her system, she would open up and he adored watching the transition between tiny tired demon to functioning adult.

She would sit with him in the shop if she wasn’t working on a case. Those were the best work days in his opinion.

The business was doing very well under Kanji’s ownership, greatly due to the fact he had more connections than his mother. 

She knew all the locals of Inaba, and he learned and met the locals while she was still around. 

On top of that, Kanji also knew a certain famous pop idol, a renowned detective, and the area manager and mascot of a huge retail chain. He also had a few run-ins with a major international trading company he fought shadows for a few times. 

Tatsumi Textiles was well known and was soaring higher than Kanji’s mother could have ever imagined. 

He still ran the physical store, the only changes being some plaques talking about history, some awards and a photo of Kanji’s Mother all brightly lit and encased in glass. 

The original location was becoming a draw for visitors to Inaba as much as Yukiko’s Inn was. 

In short, Kanji was doing pretty well, money-wise anyway.

He sold his custom fabrics and dolls and licensed popular designs to stores like Junes for mass production. His personally knitted dolls went for a quite a bit online, partially from his name being associated with them, but mostly for their unique designs and impeccable attention to detail.

Most of the people around Inaba had one or two from back when he did them for free for kids and held classes. No one could knit a doll quite like Kanji.

Nanako Dojima proudly claims to be the closest, and rightfully so. She picked up on knitting years ago.

_“I did it!!” Nanako yelled, after having retried knitting the heel of a small sock several times. The technique required wasn’t easy for amateurs, and Kanji was proud to watch her grow from the months before where she held the knitting needles more like rockband drumsticks. They were sitting around the Dojima’s table, while Narukami chatted with Naoto on the other side of it.  
Naoto was wearing the bullet necklace he had given her. Her hair was longer. She wore a white sleeveless top with a blue tanktop underneath. She had only recently stopped wrapping her chest, and it was difficult to focus. Nanako tapped Kanji’s shoulder gently, snapping him out of his stupor.  
She exclaimed, “Hey, this sock is a little too small for a person, its more like a baby sock!” Kanji agreed, but told her it was fine because she was learning still and babies need socks. This made the young girl think of something, and she looked around the people at the table.  
She asked innocently, “Naoto, will you ever have a baby?” This question caused everyone to jump and blush a bit.  
“I-I don’t think I’ve ever considered such a prospect! I’m still in high school anyway, it’s much too early for such a course of action!” Her gaze darted around the room, and she accidentally locked eyes with Kanji, causing both of them to wince and look in opposite directions while their faces flushed more. Narukami chuckled to himself at the interaction._

All of these memories of the past few years flooded Kanji’s mind constantly. There were specific details he couldn’t remember, but he could always perfectly recall Naoto’s place in them. 

Here he was, just trying to run his store as he had for years now, and all he could think of was Naoto. That same Naoto that was gently padding around upstairs and getting ready for her weekend. 

Kanji could hear the quiet creaking of the old shop where she stepped. She had packing to do, as she was going to be staying in Tokyo for a few nights for a particularly big case that needed her presence. He felt his chest sink. He was going to be alone for the next few nights. He heard the characteristic thumping and creaking of the stairs being used. A few seconds after they stopped, she slid the screen door and entered the shop.

“Good morning Kanji,” she smiled warmly, “I’ve got a few things to pick up at Junes then I’ll be getting on the train.” 

“Good mornin’. Be safe out in the city, call me anytime.” He got up to hug her small frame.

“I will. Don’t overwork yourself- I’ll be back by Monday evening and it’ll be sooner than you realize. I’ll miss you.” She replied, mostly to his chest.

“I’m gonna miss you too. I love you.” He bent his head down squatted slightly while she raised herself to meet his lips. It was a short, polite kiss but it still burned his heart like fire. Her lips were always so soft. He let her go and stepped back.

She walked across the room and was halfway out of the front sliding door. She turned around, gave Kanji a smile and a wave, and said “I love you more.~”  
The light from the outside was like a halo to her entire being. She glowed from head to toe, leaving Kanji standing in a shadow. She slid the door shut and he had to let his eyes adjust back to the dim shop. He missed her already.

He sat back down, and his leg resumed shaking. He didn’t want her to leave, he never wanted her to leave. She was still her own person, and she had work she loved and needed to do for the good of the world. He didn’t want to hold her back. Despite all of that, he wanted her to be his new family. He wanted to marry her. He felt like that was selfish, and his stomach twisted up.

A familiar deep voice replied to his inner thoughts. 

**You are not being selfish. You are wanting to ask a question.**

Kanji replied in his mind, _“Oh. Takeji-Zaiten. S’been a while. I’m just… thinking about stuff.”_

**You wish to forge a new bond.**

_“I guess that’s a way you could say it. I want to marry Naoto. She’s so important to me, no one has been this important to me except Ma. I want to take care of Naoto, and help her out any way I can. We work well together, and she makes me real happy.”_

**Then gather the strength to act.**

_“I don’t know if I can, I mean I haven’t dated anyone else and she hasn’t either and-”_

**Excuses.**

_“Damn. You may control lightning but that was cold.”_

**…**

_“Sorry. Yeah. That was weird.” He sat silently for a moment. “I’m worried I’ll mess it up.”_

**Such things are always a concern when forging a new bond. You must cut a path to your own truth. What is your truth?**

_“…I love Naoto. I want Naoto to be my wife.”_

**Then take the steps necessary for the future you desire.**

_“I guess I gotta. Hey thanks, Persona. I needed a little man-to-man talk. Or more like a man-to-giant fighty spiritself talk. Why don’t you come around as often anymore? I could use more of these...How’s the ‘Sea of the Unconscious’ or whatever?”_

Kanji waited, but he heard no reply. His persona wasn’t the type for small talking anyway, so it wasn’t a surprise. He pulled out his phone and searched up engagement rings.


	2. Naoto's Notions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naoto wanders Tokyo on her own, but this time it's different. What is this growing empty feeling?

Naoto wandered the streets of Shibuya, meandering from building to building. It was 1124 and she was on lunch from the agency.  
Even with her platform shoes, the crowds proved to be a fearsome beast; towering above her small form.  
She wandered past a store’s large glass windows, looking at herself in its reflection.  
Her hair was much longer than it was in high school, and she had begun wearing light, professional makeup. She chose to do this herself; it just had some benefits around a certain gentle giant she was dating.  
She was behind other girls at school, who had experimented with such things in younger years, stealing from their mother’s stores. Naoto never had that option, regardless of the fact she did not care for makeup then.  
That time at the school festival where she put makeup on Teddie was really just winging it successfully.  
Her dear friend Rise had truly become ecstatic when she was sought out for assistance on the matter. 

_“Naotooooo, no waaaaaaay!” Rise’s brown eyes sparkled like amber, and she clapped at a speed Naoto thought was impossible for a person.  
The giddy idol was back in town for a month, as it was September and most young adults (the bulk of her fanbase) were returning to their studies.  
She expressed desire to return for a while over text a week prior. It was about noon, and they were at Aiya.  
I nodded and took another bite. Kanji wasn’t with us, as he had a recent significant shipment at the shop to sort and store. I planned on ordering him some takeout and dropping it off, but it seemed Rise was dead-set on taking me to her abode and unleashing her skills once we finished our lunch.  
“Oh Naoto, I’ve wanted to do this since sophomore year!” I thanked her for allowing me time to get used to the idea.  
Once we finished and paid for our meal, she took me to her room. It was about 1300; we weren’t done until 1430.  
The result was some soft gray eyeshadow, a light amount of foundation, a neutral lip stain and mascara.  
My nails had also been filed and painted a sparkling navy. I liked the nails the most.  
A distant but familiar voice was heard announcing his presence at the front door, and exchanging some words with Rise’s grandmother.  
Some heavy footsteps approached Rise’s door, and Kanji’s voice came from the other side.  
“Hey Rise, is Naoto in there with you? Can I come in?”  
I felt my stomach backflip- we were dating but he had never seen me like this.  
Rise gave me a mischievous look, and before I could object, she yelled back, “Yes, and yes!”  
He slid open the door and locked eyes with me. The tailor froze in place and his face burst in red hues.  
I regretted every decision of that afternoon until Rise said, “Change is a good thing sometimes!” and Kanji was only able to nod.  
A part of me liked that he wasn’t able to say anything. I tried to push that thought away, with little success.  
Later that evening, just after dinner at 1800, he told me, “Ya look really good. But don’t feel like you gotta wear that stuff everyday. I don’t mind it either way. And hey, now we both have had Rise makeup-attack our faces!”  
He struck a weird pose as he said that last sentence and I laughed until my sides hurt._

She smiled at the memory and shifted her focus from her reflection to the actual contents of the store she had been standing in front of.  
“I know that character…” she thought to myself as she walked around to the entrance.  
The detective entered the exceedingly pink store to get a closer look at the merchandise she recognized from outside. It was one of Kanji’s favorite shows. When he first showed it to her, she was unsurprised by its status in his mind.  
The cast of small animals navigate young adult life, and the main character releases her frustrations of office life through heavy metal karaoke.  
It was the blend of cutesy and punk everyone knew Kanji embodied back in his younger days.  
Naoto was looking for a good souvenir to give him when she returned, and this seemed a good place.  
She made her selection, a cloth headband with the characters printed on it, and paid and left.  
After the nightmarish checkout line, she had about 22 minutes until she needed to be back to work. It took about 9 minutes by train to get back, so she didn’t have enough time to sit down somewhere. 

She stopped at the nearest konbini to quickly eat some sushi. She liked California rolls, and this convenience store food was filling, but it wasn’t ‘hitting the spot’ as Kanji would phrase it.  
Naoto interrogated herself as to why. The way this store made their food hadn’t changed any time recently, and she often got them as light meals between meetings.  
Though, it had been a while since she had some from this brand, as Kanji had been making them for her at home.  
She then realized the answer- Kanji’s home cooking was better. Even when it was as simple as sushi, his was better tenfold.  
Some of his cooking would be nice right about now, she thought.  
Naoto disposed of the empty packaging and headed out toward the station.

She sat by the window, leaning on the glass and watching the endless buildings speed by.  
There were so many people out there, all in their own worlds with their own lives. Someone probably just was born, and someone probably just died. These events are merely drops in the ocean in a city like Tokyo. So many emotions were present all at once.  
Back in Inaba, a birth or death was prominent news. You went to Junes and would probably recognize many people inside and out. A small community knows itself and looks out for its own. That same care was quite rare in the city. Naoto knew this well, due to her lonely upbringing.  
In her past, a subway that wasn’t packed like sardines was a rare treat, a calming ride. Now it unsettled her.  
She was feeling a new level of lonesome she was unfamiliar with. “I would love to be home with Kanji right about now…” she sighed.  
She missed Grandpa a lot, but she felt a little guilty to be missing Kanji more than him.  
Then again, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. That saying definitely applied to Kanji- but Naoto figured that was because he had no other living relatives left. 

Thinking of Kanji's mother, Naoto felt a prick of longing in her heart. Sure, she had lost her parents too, but she was young enough when it happened that she didn’t fully comprehend.  
The pain was slow and numbing as she grew up, realizing the hole in her heart where a parental figure should have been. In contrast, a world of pain hit Kanji like a brick wall when his mother passed. It was unexpected, but it stung the whole team.  
She did her best to support Kanji in that difficult period. When the pain of grief would sneak up now and again, she swore to always be there for him.  
It was the least she could do after all the support Kanji had given over the years.  
She missed the late seamstress too, after all. Tatsumi-san was an amazing woman and Naoto was eternally grateful for the short time she was like a mother to her. 

_  
It was late winter, about February. I came by the shop after closing to bring Kanji some requested ribbon I picked up for him in Okina.  
Tatsumi-san hummed a greeting from her workroom, hands full of fabric and lips pursed to hold pins safely.  
She was working on some elaborate, gorgeous wedding kimono. Her bun was loose, and her sleeves were tied back to free up her arms. She held a large amount of a sleeve in one hand and pinned with the other.  
With her mouth now free, She nodded and addressed me, saying “Good evening, Naoto. Kanji mentioned you would be coming by.”  
She had dropped the formalities after I had been dating Kanji a while. I enjoyed it, it made me feel closer to her.  
“Can I help you with anything?” I asked, knowing I probably couldn’t help with much.  
Tatsumi-san smiled and requested some tea. I excused myself and retrieved the kettle.  
As I waited for the water to boil, she slowly lowered herself to sit under the kotatsu.  
She had been moving slower than normal lately, likely due to the stress of this wedding order.  
I quietly readied some cups and poured the scalding water in. I took the tray to the table and sat across from her. Tatsumi-san’s eyes seemed to sparkle while watching me, despite her clear tiredness coloring her lower eyelids.  
“Thank you my dear,” she gently took the cup from me, “I am so proud of you.”  
I flinched at the unexpected praise and ended up letting a drop of my tea fly out to burn my finger. I put the cup down and blushed as I sucked on my knuckle for temporary relief.  
When the pain had eased a little, I replied, “Thank you, but that seems sudden to me. What are you referring to?”  
She took a sip and gave me a knowing smile. “I know you had struggles with your identity when I first met you. Since then, you’ve blossomed into a confident and caring young woman.”  
I felt my chest flutter at the praise and hunched down as I drank my tea. Tatsumi-san laughed gently.  
“I am so glad my Kanji met you. There is no one else I’d rather him be with than you, Naoto.”  
I tried to say thank you, but my voice cracked.  
She continued, “I know my time left among you all is growing short. So I have one simple request, Naoto.”  
I straightened my back and looked her in the eye and nodded. Her countenance was warm.  
“Please make sure my Kanji is okay when that happens, and keeps his head high.”  
I felt the desire to cry, and my throat went dry.  
I croaked out, “O-of course, Tatsumi-san”  
She took my hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb.  
“You don’t need formalities here.”  
“…Ma.”  
“That’s better.”  
I felt a tear burn my eye and draw a trail down my cheek. I knelt down by her and hugged her. She squeezed my shoulders back.  
She whispered to me, “I always wanted a daughter too.” _

Naoto snapped out of her memory, quickly gathering her things from the train and disembarking.  
She wished that order had been for her, and not some high-paying client. It was breathtaking, and it was one of the last orders filled by Ma Tatsumi.  
She thought of herself in the brilliant white garb, beside Kanji in the equally elaborate black counterpart.  
Her chest warmed at the thought. Her friends had already made the suggestion for years, but Naoto hadn’t taken it seriously until now.  
Wandering alone in Tokyo was making her realize how intensely she wanted to be back in Inaba, back in the large yet gentle arms of Kanji Tatsumi.  
This was an intersting predicament. Monday couldn't come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naoto is the left brain and Kanji is the right brain. The style changing is fun! Also, in case it wasn't obvious, Naoto went into a Sanrio store because I headcanon Kanji loves Aggretsuko because he relates to a certain Hyena. (I know opinions are divided on the new season sorry lol)  
> Also, sorry the formatting isn't the same spaced out way on this chapter. I messed up moving it from my draft in MSWord and it would've taken a long time of coding paragraphs and breaks to fix. Then again, this is Naoto, so it kinda fits? lol idk
> 
> Anyway, See you next weekend!


	3. Kanji and Naoto's Worries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, they're ok. A brief look at what Kanji has been up to, and following Naoto as her time ends in Tokyo, but this time she meets a certain fellow fortune confidant...

#### \----Kanji----

Kanji sat hunched over his work desk in his room. It was evening, and he had a small bag from a jewelry store in front of him. 

He was set back a few thousands of yen, but no purchase had ever felt more right for him. It didn’t feel real until he had the little box open in his hands. 

There was no turning back, not that he wanted to. 

He pulled the ring from the tiny pillow and turned it over in his hands. The light refracted across his skin like stained glass. The store wanted him to get the biggest, gaudiest rings available, but he knew his Naoto. She would want something more simple. 

Everyone knew she loved blue, so he got a sapphire instead of the traditional diamond. Naoto wasn’t traditional anyway. It was a small, square blue sapphire in-between two smaller square white sapphires. The band was silver and smooth, and he had the inside inscribed to read “K&N”.

Kanji put the ring back in the box and closed the lid. It snapped shut with a tight and resounding clack. It was a terrifying noise. It could mean either acceptance or rejection. 

Looking at the velvety blue exterior, he felt a churn in his stomach. She had all the right to say no. Just because they had been intimately living together, and had talked about their futures a lot, didn’t mean she would want to. 

He set the box down on his desk. He didn’t know how he would ask, or where, or how to hide this from his all-star detective girlfriend. He drummed his fingers on the desk, brow wrinkled in thought. He pressed his knuckles to his forehead, groaning. 

Times like this made Kanji knit endless straight lines. It could end up as a potholder, or a scarf if he was particularly upset about something. Knitting helped keep his mind busy and allow him to think clearer about stuff, or drown it out and just be absorbed in the simple task. He snatched the nearest yarn to him, a plain and simple white. 

He opened his desk drawer and rifled through pens and pencils to find his lucky needles. They were metal and old; the paint had mostly flaked off, only leaving stainless gray. His mom had got him these a few years before Narukami and everyone came into his life and flipped it upside down. Those were darker times, and the then-black knitting needles had mostly sat undisturbed on his desk. He only used them if he knew his mother was out and he wouldn’t be discovered.  
Once the Investigation Team had come in, however, he started using them much more. As they were used more, the black color faded. Now, he only pulled them out in times of need. He looped the white yarn onto one of the sticks and got to work. A few rows in, an idea came to his mind. He dropped the needles and small rectangle of white, grabbing his smartphone and pulling up his Pinterest.

#### \----Naoto----

Naoto sat in her hotel room, collecting her things from the bathroom. Zipping the cosmetics bag shut, she tucked it neatly into its slot in her well-organized suitcase. She didn’t leave until tomorrow, but she wanted to be ready to go as soon as possible. 

A bed to herself was nice, sure, but she felt much safer with a certain famous tailor who happened to work out a lot. The visible results from such exercise were nice too… That was one thing he continued from his teens besides crafts- pushing himself to be better. She admired that drive in him. Whatever issue he faced, he tackled head on.

She felt a warmth in her chest thinking about seeing him again. She had a few more papers to finish up, but she knew she had time tomorrow morning. 

Naoto pulled out her smartphone and opened her Facetime, clicking the image of a plush pink rabbit.

He took a few rings to pick up, but Naoto smiled when the face of her beloved appeared on screen. 

“Hey Nao, what’s up?”

She smiled. “Nothing in particular. I was simply missing you.”

The image went slightly fuzzy as he looked away and rifled with something offscreen. “Aww… I miss you too! You get back tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yes, it should be around 20:38- ah, I mean 8:38 p.m.”

Naoto could hear pen scribbling off camera. “Gotcha. Are you gonna eat on the train or do you want me to have somethin’ ready?”

“Please make something if you can. But don’t overwork! It’s no issue if you can’t- I could just-”

He interrupted her with a smirk. “You’re sick of the city food.”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“What’cha want?” 

“Udon. Wait, no, curry. Spicy curry with extra carrots.”

He laughed. “Gotcha. I’ll be sure to head to Junes tomorrow.” He paused and wrote some more things down. 

“What are you writing over there?”

“I-uh, scheduling. Big order. S’Important.” Every word he said was quieter than the last. Suspicious.

She smiled and squinted at her screen. “Ah, you must be very busy then. I should go.”

The screen went really fuzzy, seemingly due to grabbing his phone and holding it closer. “NONONO, NAOTO, WAIT!!”

He knows she does not like secrets. “Yes?”

“I was… missing you and I am making a surprise for when you’re back and I’m almost done with it. Gotta watch the time to be sure it’s done by then. I love you.”

Her heart stirred. Those were puppy eyes. He was giving her puppy eyes. Gosh, she loved this idiot. 

“Ok. I can’t wait to see it. I’m ready to be home again, and I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I love you too.” 

She locked her phone orientation to portrait, and laid down in the hotel bed and propped her phone up on the spare pillow. This simulated him laying next to her, if only his face on a tiny screen. 

It was comforting, and the fluff of the bedsheets was making her realize how tired she was. Her eyelids were heavy.

“You’re so fucking cute, Nao.”

“As are you, my love.”

When Naoto awoke, her phone was dead from where it sat the night prior. She rubbed her eyes and plugged it in. A red low-battery logo greeted her. She sighed and pulled herself out of bed and went to the bathroom to ready herself for work. 

\-------------------  
Work was a drag. She loved detective work but even the work you love can be tiring at times. She was ready to go home. Her stomach was screaming for some homemade Tatsumi curry.

She pulled her suitcase and walked where her phone map was telling her to, but this way didn’t seem correct.

All around there were dating cafes, bars, a theater, and other… adult businesses. This definitely was not the safest way home, in the evening, as a woman, alone.

Naoto walked past a girl setting up a cheap folding table. She had blonde hair and a purple dress and bandana. She was young, probably just out of highschool.

The woman spoke in a high voice. “Are you lost, ma’am? Do you need directions?”

Naoto looked away. “I’m fine, thank you.” She began to walk away.

“Um... ma’am? The station is a lot quicker the other way.”

Naoto gruffly nodded, avoiding eye contact. She walked past the woman again, but not before noticing the card the girl just set down. 

Naoto stopped, and turned back. “That’s the Wheel of Fortune tarot card.”

“Ah, you’re right! It jumped out of my deck to you.” Naoto didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, but the coincidence was comical.

The girl smiled. “My name is Chihaya Mufune and I am training to be a fortune teller. Would you like a free reading? I’m trying to establish myself.”

Naoto looked at the time. She didn’t have a lot of it. A girly, childish urge made her want to stay. Against her better judgement, she nodded. “Only if it doesn’t take over ten minutes. I have a train to catch.”

Chihaya nodded. “Of course! What would you like a reading on? It could be your future, career, health, money, or…” she had a glint in her eye, “relationships?”

Naoto kept a cool face, she didn’t want the girl to know she hit the proverbial nail on the head. “I guess… relationships sounds interesting.” She carefully took a seat.

Chihaya giggled, put the Wheel of Fortune back in the deck, and started shuffling. She pulled three cards out, since Naoto didn’t have a lot of time, and she was only starting out. 

She flipped the first card.

“Ah, first is the Emperor in the upright position. Very good for relationships.” She flipped the next. “Four of Wands upright, even better!” She flipped the last card. “Oh.” 

Naoto didn’t like the sound of the last one.

“This is the Fool reversed.”

Naoto lifted an eyebrow and folded her arms.

Chihaya looked at the three cards, then back up to Naoto. “Are you in a relationship currently?” The detective nodded in response.

“I can tell. The Emperor card, in context of love and relationships, means you’re in a stable and committed relationship with a man who is protective, a good influence, but not the best at romance.” This made Naoto smile, thinking of how easily Kanji can defend someone to the death, but still gets nervous to kiss sometimes. But, she was still concerned about that third card. 

Chihaya continued, “The Four of Wands is a sign of security and prosperity, or that a celebration is coming. If you’re looking to get married to your Emperor, this is essentially the green light.” 

Naoto felt her face flush. It’s what she secretly wanted to hear, but she didn’t know if she was ready for something like that.

Chihaya pushed the upside-down Fool card forward. “This one, the Fool reversed, means you’re reluctant to start something big. In the context of love, it means you’re letting some kind of adventure hold you back.”

Chihaya pulled out her phone to look at the time. “You need to go soon, but here’s the gist. You’re in a very happy relationship with someone who loves you very much as well. A marriage would be ideal for both of you, but you have something holding you back from the idea of marriage. If that attitude doesn’t change, a terrible fate will come. I wish you the best, goodbye!”

Naoto felt like her head was spinning. 

She got up and thanked the girl, giving her a couple hundred yen for her time despite the session being free. 

She took her bags and got on the train with a minute to spare. It was going to be a few hours until she made it back to Inaba, but she had a lot to think about. 

She sent Kanji a quick text to inform him she was safely on the train, but decided to add a heart emoji at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SLIGHTLY LONGER CHAPTER! I jumped between the two this time. I have enjoyed planning this fic while I spend this long weekend alone. (USA Labor Day) Alone in my dorm, happily living vicariously through kannao, and I hope this chapter makes you happy too!
> 
> My birthday is next week (the 15th) so I may not have as big of an update next week, idk, but regardless, I will do my best to get something out there. I always preferred giving instead of getting, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> I hoped you liked this first chapter! I've seen the concept of persona users being able to talk to their personas in other fics, and I love the idea. Also Kanji is a very good boy and he just wants Naoto around all the time.  
> I have some cute proposal ideas, and they probably will be seen from Naoto's perspective. Thanks for reading to this point!


End file.
